


Act of Service

by annabananagames



Category: The Last of Us (Video Games)
Genre: Dina can be a raging pregnant bitch, F/F, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Maybe - Freeform, Not a slow burn for once, pregnancy fic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-16
Updated: 2020-11-16
Packaged: 2021-03-09 17:41:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,222
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27570193
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/annabananagames/pseuds/annabananagames
Summary: Dina's pregnant and struggling to settle into life back in Jackson after the events of Seattle. Ellie notices and has an idea of how she can make it better.Just a short fic on how the farm came to be.
Relationships: Dina/Ellie (The Last of Us), Maria/Tommy (The Last of Us)
Comments: 9
Kudos: 89





	Act of Service

Dina groaned, holding her palm flush against the underside of her belly as she maneuvered awkwardly out of bed until the soles of her feet were flat against the cold wood of the floorboards. With an even more exasperated wheeze with her free hand, she pushed herself to her feet, a look of triumph crossing her face when she made it up.

She could have sworn yesterday it had been easy to get up, at least easier than it was today but now it felt almost an impossible task, and with still months to go she wasn't sure how she was going to get out of bed tomorrow.

"Dina." Ellie said in a scolding tone, rushing to her side, her rough hand instinctively finding her lower back and the other her arm to support her. "You should have called me I would have helped you get up."

"I'm not an invalid, Ellie." Dina said sarcastically with a roll of her eyes as she waddled out of reach and towards her dresser for clothes. "I can do things on my own too."

"I'm not saying you can't." She spoke slowly cautiously, remembering their fight from the night before because she didn't put the cap back on the toothpaste. "I'm just saying I'm here to help."

Dina looked at herself in the mirror, steeling gaze stating back at her and her mind telling her to argue, to challenge Ellie but instead she sighed, her hands gripping the front of the dresser.

She knew it was just the hormones making her irrational but it was so hard to be rational when everywhere she went everyone was fawning over her. She had spent her entire life being self-sufficient, doing anything, and everything on her own and now it was as if everyone didn't think she could take care of herself. She didn't want to just be that pregnant girl and the fact that she was being treated that way made her blood boil.

She knew that was a silly way of looking at things, sometimes she did need help but everything was beginning to feel suffocating here and she missed the wild of the outside of the walls. This was the longest she had ever been confined and she wondered if it was beginning to mess with her mental health the more she was kooked up inside without an escape.

She knew she shouldn't take it out on Ellie, she was doing her best with the hand that she had been dealt but she couldn't help it. The only thing she was guilty of was being present for her mood swings and she felt so guilty every time she saw the flicker of hurt behind her eyes when she did snap but every time it was quick to disappear and she had her in her arms, whispering soothing things in her ear until it was better. Ellie had sworn she had never been around someone who was pregnant before but if Dina didn't know for sure that was the truth she wouldn't have believed her.

Dina hoped when this thing finally left her body that Ellie would forgive her for every awful thing she did or said and not hold it against her. She didn't think she would, but that fair found its way of creeping into the back of her mind.

It was endearing to see how much Ellie cared for her and their unborn child. From the first moment that she had met her, she always knew there was more than her tough exterior portrayed her to be and maybe that's why she had felt so gravitated towards her when they were kids. While Ellie was thankful to have friends her age, to grow into her adolescence in a relatively normal setting considering the epidemic that gripped the world, she still had walls from her travels with Joel. It took a long time for Dina to begin to tear those down. Little conversations here and there, light teasing that turned into shameless flirting as the years wore on, back before she even knew how she loved Ellie.

Ellie would push her away when she got too close but one day, after persisting more than she ought to have, she just stopped. Eventually, there was just one more wall, one more secret she had been keeping from her. It was a wall Dina didn't dare tear down because when she thought back to it, she knew all along how she felt about her and she knew too. They were both afraid in their own ways to admit what it was to themselves, too afraid to lose each other over something so terrifying but so exciting at the same time.

Dina had loved Ellie for a long time before she found the courage to kiss her and test the waters and she still continued to love her just as fiercely to this day.

"Come downstairs." Ellie finally spoke, closing the distance and wrapping her arms around her waist, both palms pressed flat against the bump on her stomach. "I'm making breakfast before I head out today."

Dina swallowed and gave a nod, leaning back into the embrace. When Ellie softly pressed her lips to the base of her neck she couldn't help but smile, her own hands sliding up Ellie's forearms and finding purchase over top of hers.

"You like that?" Ellie asked coyly knowing perfectly well the answer to that already, her lips arching into a smile and tickling Dina's skin.

"You know what you're doing." Dina only craned her head back until it was resting on Ellie's shoulder, exposing more of her tanned flesh to her mouth that continued to assault the sensitive skin.

"Do I?" Ellie asked feigning innocent as she pulled Dina closer, opening her eyes to take a peek at the both of them in the mirror and smiling. "I have a bit of spare time."

* * *

"Dina." Ellie hollered, announcing that she was home, dropping her coat by the door and kicking off her shoes.

She was about to walk away before she glanced back and retreated, picking up her jacket and hanging it on the hook, followed by setting her shoes neatly against the wall. It wasn't an argument she wanted to have again, nor did she want to cause Dina any undue stress over something that she could easily fix.

"Dina?" She asked again, her voice cracking when she realized Dina hadn't answered back.

Quickly she walked through the lounge, her head whipping left and right again calling her name. She was about to head upstairs when she heard the quiet sobs coming from the kitchen.

She bounded in pausing only for a second ready to fight whatever or whoever had caused Dina to cry. Her eyes found Dina crumpled on the floor, her face in her hands as she quietly sobbed. On the stove above her was what Ellie could only assume had been dinner but judging by the burnt smell wafting from that direction it was no longer edible.

"What happened?" Ellie asked, swiftly moving to her side and crouching down to be level with her.

"I fucked up your dinner!" Dina loudly exclaimed the last syllable lost as her throat constricted with another loud sob.

Ellie exhaled through her nose, finding her hand instinctively rubbing gentle circles on her back in the way that she knew that she liked. She studying her face, followed by her body and every inch of her she could see. She didn't appear to be in any physical pain, so that was something. She however felt more capable of dealing with cuts and abrasions than whatever this baby was doing to Dina's body. She was beginning to convince herself that whatever it was inside of her wasn't going to be the perfect little angel she had once pictured if her mood swings were anything to go by. Ellie knew Dina wasn't at fault, she understood that this was just a part of being pregnant but part of her wished that this part would be left behind in the second trimester before heading into the third.

She never thought in her wildest dreams that she would have a child, even if it wasn't her own blood it was still hers and half of the woman she loved and she vowed to protect at all costs. She would be responsible for it. Not that that was ever a problem to her, even if Dina hadn't chosen to be with her, even if Jesse had survived Seattle, she would have laid down her life for the child because it was part of both of her best friends and she knew that it would be the best parts, despite the demon it was making its mother be at all hours of the day.

"Hey, why don't we go out to eat tonight? We haven't gone out in a while, it might be nice?" Ellie offered, her voice soft as she did her utmost best to calm her.

"Because I'm fat, Ellie." Dina dropped her hands into her lap and threw her head back, only crying harder.

Ellie cringed, mentally cursing herself for not treading more carefully. "Hey, no. You're not fat. You're pregnant."

"You think I'm fat." Dina countered, her face contorting between anguish and realization that she was being ridiculous but she couldn't pull her mind from her current train of thought.

"Whoa, what. I don't think you're fat!" Ellie stuttered, placing her hands on Dina's shoulders to try and get her to look her in the eye. "You're the most not fat pregnant lady I've ever seen! In fact, are you even pregnant?" she began to ramble nervously, giving Dina a gentle shake. "You are pregnant, right?"

"Fuck, of course, I'm pregnant, Ellie." Dina sniffed, reaching up to wipe her nose with her sleeve before her watery eyes settled on Ellie's. "You still think I look good?"

"Dina." Ellie laughed, her hands settling heavily on her shoulders before she fell back to sit on the cold floor. "I think you're the most beautiful woman in the whole entire world. Even when you're being insane."

Dina couldn't help the smile that tugged at her lips. She pulled her sleeve over her hand and lifted it to her face, using it to dry her cheeks and wipe at her eyes. "Do you think maybe we could go get some food? I'm so hungry."

Ellie could only smile in response, all the worry present in her face melting away when she saw Dina's own. "Of course, we can get whatever you want."

It took a while for Ellie to get Dina off the floor, and even longer for her to get dressed. She sat patiently on the couch hearing her mutter to herself upstairs, throw things around, and stomp her feet on the ground upstairs. She felt both a little smile pull at the corner of her lips and terrified for what was going to appear at the base of the stairs.

She could express a thousand times how much she was thankful to be part of this journey with Dina, to be a part of her life, and to have not lost her in Seattle but her insecurities always began to shine through and she would ask for that clarification that she wasn't going to leave, that she wasn't going to lose her now that they were back and things weren't as exciting. Every day she tried to find new words and new ways to show her that she was here and she was here for the long haul and that would have been the honest truth regardless if she was pregnant or not.

When it came down to it, if Ellie was being honest with herself, she was fucking terrified. She didn't know how to be a parent and up until recently, she didn't believe she had a maternal bone in her body but as the days ticked on, she became more and more protective of Dina and their unborn child. At night when she was sleeping, she would rest her hand on her belly and whisper how much the child was going to be loved, what lengths she would go to to protect both it and its mother. Her priorities quickly changed and she couldn't afford to be so reckless. Out on patrols, she was more cautious and more aware of those around her. While she had never been solely looking out for herself, she felt more responsible for those she had ventured out with, making a promise to herself that she would make sure they all returned safely to their families. She had never been big on talking or expressing her feelings but she now spent more time checking in on those around her, making sure they were coping and they were okay.

She wasn't entirely sure when everything had changed, or even when she had started doing that but it was just something that had evolved over time and she didn't hate it.

It was weird actively seeking approval from those around her. She was caught between being tugged back to her old life and surging forward to her new one, constantly pursuing advice that would help her be a better partner to Dina because she didn't want to fall back into old habits, or even be the same angry person she used to be. There were days where she felt the pull stronger than most and she still found it hard to mention his name but she was doing her best to heal. She didn't think Jackson was the best place for her to do that, but Dina was safe here and even she had to concede that that was her top priority.

When Dina finally appeared in front of her she rose to her feet and smiled, a big goofy one specifically reserved for Dina and she held out her hand. "You look beautiful."

"Tell a better lie." Dina huffed and closed the distance, taking her hand in hers and already leading her towards the door.

"You are beautiful, no matter how much you try to deny it." Ellie replied, shaking her head she smiled, lacing her fingers together with Dina's and giving her hand a squeeze. "And I'm the luckiest girl in all of Jackson to have the most beautiful woman in Jackson in my life. I love you."

Dina snorted loudly, an unmissable admission of her lack of belief in that statement. "I love you too, dork."

Ellie could only watch Dina sympathetically as she was bombarded by the residents of Jackson taking their turn to approach her, wanting to know updates on how the pregnancy was going. While Ellie knew if she was in their situation she wouldn't have cared less about someone being pregnant, she knew that for the town it was exciting. It had been a long time since a child had been born inside the walls, and the fact that it was a byproduct of Dina and Jesse's relationship, one the entire town seemed to be rooting for, meant a lot to them considering he was no longer with them now. Really, they only wanted to make sure she was okay and coping but Ellie could tell it was beginning to bother her girlfriend.

She couldn't admit that in a way it was bothering her, but not in the way she thought it would. She felt a little guilty for being mad that they never gushed at her in the same way they did about Dina and Jesse's relationship, in fact, when it came to the baby they rarely even acknowledge her presence as if the fact she wasn't the biological parent invalidated her claim to being the child's parent. She didn't think it was on purpose or that there was anything malicious about it, Jesse had just been a much-loved member of Jackson and a friend to many, but that didn't mean it hurt any less.

Regardless of her feelings on the matter, the thing that bothered her the most was the look in Dina's eyes every time they were approached like this. She knew Dina wouldn't tell them to fuck off, and Dina knew that she would, but after the first time it had happened she had asked her not to. Out of respect for the residents who were only concerned about her, she asked that she not and just allow them their time. Ellie could see it affecting her every time though and it was becoming increasingly harder to bite her tongue on the matter.

When she should seem happy talking about the impending birth of her first child she only saw defeat in her eyes and she couldn't work out what it was.

It was sometimes the same at home, Dina would look somewhere far off and every time Ellie asked she would claim it was nothing before excusing herself to bed. She knew she was finding it tough being confined to the walls but she wasn't in any state to leave as much as she hated to hear that. No one would feel comfortable going on patrol with her and even if they did there was no way anyone would allow her to put herself in that situation. She couldn't even put up her own hand to venture out with her because the fear of losing her, or not being able to protect her was too great.

It was selfish but she couldn't lose anyone else.

Ellie exhaled sharply through her nose, continuing to watch as Dina chatted politely with the next older lady who approached. They hadn't even eaten dinner yet, which was fine for Ellie, she didn't have much of an appetite lately but Dina needed the sustenance.

"Excuse me." Ellie finally snapped, reaching over to place her hand on top of Dina's. "Do you mind letting her eat?" she asked, in the most polite tone she could muster which happened to be barely polite at all.

"Sorry." the older woman exclaimed, narrowing her eyes at her before turning back to Dina and smiling warmly. "If there is anything you need, please don't hesitate to drop by."

"Thank you, Marjorie." Dina replied with a small nod. "I will. I'll see you around." When the old woman was out of earshot she gave her a warning stare. "

"Eat your food, it's getting cold." Ellie mumbled, looking down at her own plate and pushing the contents around.

"Sorry." Dina finally spoke after a moment of silence, swallowing the mouthful of food that she had shoveled into her mouth. "I just feel like I have to be polite to everyone. They just care about me."

"I know but it's okay to tell them that you need time for yourself." Ellie glanced up from her spot on the table before adding. "You looked like you were struggling a bit."

"This is harder than I thought it would be." Dina sighed, her shoulders instantaneously drooping to a low that Ellie had never seen before.

Ellie only sat patiently, watching as she struggled to find the words to explain what had been plaguing her. Whatever it was, Ellie hated it, the look of anguish on her face was enough for Ellie to know that she both wanted and needed to fix it before they brought a child into this world.

"I feel trapped." Dina closed her eyes and exhaled hard, feeling as if a weight had been shifted off her shoulders. "I can't breathe here. I can't walk down the street without someone wanting to talk about the baby or Jesse or how hard it must be to do this without him." she paused, opening her eyes to meet the forest green of Ellie's. "That part isn't hard. You're amazing, Ellie. I couldn't have asked for anyone better to be doing this with but I can't do anything without someone watching me or commenting on what I'm doing or if I'm doing it right or wrong. I miss the fresh air outside this place. I miss going out on patrol and being useful. I miss going out and goofing off with you away from these prying eyes. I miss when no one was concerned about what I was or wasn't doing." Dina stopped rambling, her breathing ragged as she tried to suck air into her lungs.

"Feel better?" Ellie asked tactically, bringing her hands up to rest her fingers under her nose and she watched Dina.

"Better." she nodded. "Thank you."

* * *

Ellie draped her hand over Dina's belly, watching as she slept splayed out on the bed. She could tell she was beginning to get exhausted, and now it was hard to find a comfortable position for her to fall asleep. Once she found slumber Ellie did her best not to wake her. She couldn't begin to imagine how hard it must be to have a life growing inside you, or how much discomfort she must be in so she did what she could to keep her comfortable.

She couldn't stop thinking about what Dina had said earlier about feeling trapped and wanting more, her words echoing through what felt like her empty head. She couldn't sleep, her body almost not allowing her until she could come up with an answer to how to help her. She remembered a conversation that they once had on their first day in Seattle and before she knew it she was sitting up, an idea springing into her mind.

She looked down at her sleeping partner, leaning cautiously forward to press a kiss to her temple before she shifted and placed a delicate kiss to the exposed skin on her belly. Quickly muttering how she would be home soon she rose from the bed, pulling on her jeans and a loose hoody before sneaking out the door.

It was still dark but it would be daylight soon and it couldn't wait. She jogged to Tommy's house and pounded on the door until someone opened.

"Just what the hell do you think you're doi-" Tommy snapped, before he noticed who it was. "Ellie?" he asked, reaching up to rub at his tired eyes.

"I need you to come with me." Ellie said quickly, doing her best to catch her breath.

"Can't it wait until morning." he shook his head, folding his arms across his chest. "At least wait until the sun comes up."

"Can't wait." Ellie frowned, already turning to head off. " Get dressed and meet me at the stables in ten."

Ellie saddled up Japan and as they left the gates, Tommy only grumbled in response to being woken so early by his niece. Ellie rolled her eyes in response, they both weren't morning people and as much as she used to hate to admit it, they were more alike than she would have liked. He was all the family she had left though and she was thankful both he and Maria had accepted her back with open arms after failing to avenge Joel's death. She promptly realized that in the grand scheme of things, family was what was important and it was putting things more in perspective for her every day.

When she worried about what she would be like as a parent, she looked to Tommy for guidance. While he had no children of his own, he had been there to raise Sarah with Joel and he would often tell her stories of the mistakes they had both made which made her feel a little better. It was still hard to hear about him in the past tense, but they were both doing their best to keep the memory of him alive and the only way to do that was to continue to tell his stories. He wasn't always a good man, but he had been a fair man and she knew that if he was alive today he would have been the best grandparent to her child.

It was in their silence that she knew that something still wasn't right between them, something unspoken and unnerving. She wondered if Tommy could feel it in her bones in the same way she did but she didn't have time to consider it now.

As they crested the hill barely a three-mile ride from Jackson, the sun was beginning to rise behind them, illuminating the dilapidated house now in their view in an orange glow. It wasn't much but the lighting sure made it seem like it could be something special. When Tommy turned to look at her with confusion she offered a small smile.

"Dina always dreamed of fixing up one of the farms on the outside of town." Ellie spoke softly, absentmindedly as she looked over the building. "The open space always called to her. Thought we could have a couple of sheep, maybe a cow."

"That's going to be a lot of work to get that up to scratch Ellie, plus you'll need some kind of defenses around the perimeter." Tommy said sternly, turning to look at her like he thought she was crazy. "And you know we can't protect you out here. It might be too late before we can make it out to you."

"Tommy, I know." Ellie gave a small nod, her decision already made. "But I'd like to try."


End file.
